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Topic Electrostatics
Asked 4 times across 3 UPSC exams over 1 years (2024–2025), peaking in 2025.
Key insights
- Most tested in GEO — 2 of 4 PYQs
- Most asked in 2025
- Recurs across 2 years (2024–2025)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
GEO 2024 → NDA 2024 → CDS 2025
How the concept evolved
Rising — more than half its appearances (4 of 4) are since 2016.
Sample questions
You've seen the pattern — here are a few of the actual PYQs.
CDS2025
Van de Graaff generator generates :
- A electrostatic charge
- B magnetic field
- C high voltage low alternating current
- D high voltage low direct current
Answer key not yet available (pending official release)
Science & Technology › Physics & Chemistry
GEO2025
A spherical conductor of radius a has a cavity of radius b at its centre such that a > b. A positive charge q is placed at its centre (see in the figure). The electric fields in the regions b < r < a and r > a are respectively
- A q/(4πε₀a²) inward and q/(4πε₀b²) outward
- B q/(4πε₀b²) inward and zero
- C zero and q/(4πε₀r²) outward ✓
- D zero and zero
✓ Correct answer: (C)
Science & Technology › Physics & Chemistry
NDA2024
Which one of the following is the best shape of a solid metal rod to form the top end of a lightning conductor? (figures of pointed cone, cylinder, sphere on rod, flat slab)
- A (a) ✓
- B (b)
- C (c)
- D (d)
✓ Correct answer: (A)
Science & Technology › Physics & Chemistry
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